Food imports are placing an increasing burden on the world's poorest countries, a new FAO report says. The world food import bill has broadly tripled since 2000 to reach $1.43 trillion in 2017, while it has risen around fivefold for countries that are the most vulnerable to food shortages.

Enhancing food security in vulnerable regions requires both short- and long-term investments. Even though targeted interventions are needed for short-term relief, building resilient food systems is crucial for providing continued food and nutrition security.